Wyatt Earp greift ein

When TV Land recently began showing reruns of "Wyatt Earp," I had forgotten that, apparently in the early episodes, the only music heard was an a cappella male quartet. Not only did they sing the theme song, but periodically during those episodes, to augment certain special "drama," they would chime in, humming either low in the background for sentimentality, or swelling to full volume when the emotions were supposed to be at peak. The only lyrics heard were those of the theme song; otherwise, the musical accompaniment consisted entirely of that periodic humming in four-part harmony. Written out, it appeared, "mmmm-oooooo-AAAAHHHH-OOOOOHHH!!" Bypassing a full orchestra was one sure way to save a chunk of cash for the budget. Then in other, perhaps later, episodes, orchestral music replaced that humming, and the a cappella quartet only sang the theme song. I must admit that the humming contributed a rather corny element to the show.

The corruption of politics, woman's roles, the pain, pride and conflict following the civil war, a non-drinking Marshall who thinks before he shoots - this is a gem from the 50's.

I also enjoy so many of the faces that briefly appear that also came into their own fame in coming years.

Very impressed with the scriptwriters of the show.

This review is based on the first 13 shows of the first season.

I was a big fan of this show back when it was popular; I thought Wyatt Earp was 'the thing'. There was always plenty of action from Wyatt and Doc, and when they weren't taking care of business, Shotgun Gibbs could be counted on for some good gunplay. Two of my favorite western actors were in this one which was another reason for my interest - Myron Healy and Morgan Woodward, 2 of tinseltown's primo bad guys [who did stoop to playing good guys every now and then]. To see these two actors now I must watch some old western that might pop up on tv from time to time. I'll wager the real Wyatt wasn't a handsome, flashy dresser like O'Brien: more like an unwashed thug. Ah, Hollywood.

While there's plenty of myth mixed in with the facts, this chronological series actually provides more historical accuracy in many of its episodes than most media treatments of Earp, excepting only the movies "Tombstone" and the 1994 "Wyatt Earp." That is especially true when it comes to specific, historical episodes in the series, such as the shooting of Dora Hand and the gunfight at the OK Corral. Hugh O'Brien is good in the title role, reflecting what many of his contemporaries described as Earp's taciturn nature. John Wayne, who met the real Wyatt while working as a set hand for John Ford, told O'Brien that he "had nailed Earp," based on his own interactions with the real lawman. There are plenty of fanciful things included as well, but given the era this series earns its reputation as one of the better early, adult westerns.

My parents remember this show when they were teenagers, and so we decided as a family to watch the series together.

Wow! What a treat! The writing in a lot of episodes is excellent, and many episodes could make a movie all it's own, enough to put modern tv series to shame. Many characters are woven into the series and once in a while make reappearances.

The acting is phenomenal. Hugh O'Brien is perfect for this role. His range of acting can range from comical to sheer wrath.

We have a friend that talks about the Gibb-slap, a reference to the TV series NCIS. Now we have a running joke: the Earp-slap! There are scenes where O'Brien surprises real genuine slaps so suddenly! No mere acting here!